Tag: Cantata

Carmina’s Cantata #3

Carmina's Cantata

So, things are ticking along. I still have more admin to do to fix most of the podcast interviews, but I have realised a couple of things about my learning, in terms of the ukulele, but also in general. I like working my way through the Fender platform, but I don’t like the repetition that is required to really master something. Anything that uses the second to forth strings is difficult for my fingers to reach, and put down the necessary pressure to produce a good sound.

I’m still trying the basics, with very small parts of songs used to reinforce the learning. I also wrote a few lines of song that I could even try experimenting with… maybe once I know a bit more! Baby steps! This week, it’ll be more of the same, but trying harder to fight against the afternoon slump where I get distracted, and instead focus, and maybe take more time to sit properly and set up the camera properly.

Carmina’s Cantata #1

Carmina's Cantata

I have officially started my exploration of music and spoken word, starting with my own journey learning to play the ukulele, thanks to Art Council funding as part of DYCP (Developing Your Creative Practice). I’ve decided to call this project ‘Carmina’s Cantata’. A Cantata is a medium-length narrative piece of music for voices with instrumental accompaniment (typically with solos, chorus, and orchestra). It is usually applied to classical music, but I thought I would borrow the term and turn it into this alliterative name. How poetic, I know…

This week, I began documenting me learning the basics of the ukulele using ‘Fender Play’ lessons, on Instagram. I might do some live feeds too, maybe as a kind of weekly progress, as it can’t be all that entertaining watching me practice for half an hour each day! Things are underway with arranging artists for a podcast I’m going to produce, interviewing artists who use music with their spoken word. In future, I’ll be having in-person lessons, and also will do a music production course. You can follow my exploration through this blog and my updates on social media.